WBAA Arts Spotlight: Bach Chorale Singers

Cole Porter and Friends, an Indiana Bicentennial celebration concert with the Bach Chorale Singers, takes place Friday, April 28th at 7:30 pm at the Long Center for the Arts in Lafayette.

John Clare spoke to the newly appointed Artistic Director of the BCS, Michael Bennett about his role with the organization, and what to expect in the future!

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Michael Bennett will take the helm as Artistic Director for the 53rd season, beginning in August 2017. Learn more about the Bach Chorale Singershere.

Bennett is a familiar, friendly face to the Bach Chorale. From 2004-09, he was the Assistant Conductor and Youth Chorus Director. As the chorale's primary conductor for the 2006-07 season, he directed both choruses while on tour in Washington, D.C., at the Washington National Cathedral and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Michael is the Director of Music at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lafayette, where he serves as organist for all services, oversees the parish’s musical offerings, directs the choir program, and administers the concert series.

Mr. Bennett is also choral director at Lafayette Jefferson High School where he directs several choirs, including the award winning Varsity Singers, who were state runners-up at the 2016 Indiana State School Music Association concert finals. In 2014 he was recognized for his excellent teaching by the Greater Lafayette Commerce as a Golden Apple Teacher, one of the newest teachers to the profession to have received the award.

Bach Chorale Singers, Inc. is a community organization in Lafayette/West Lafayette, Indiana, founded more than four decades ago by a small group of singers who met on Sunday evenings in their homes to sing the great four-part chorales of J.S. Bach. Within a few years, one member became the first music director, and the group’s repertoire quickly expanded. The organization performed its first public concert in 1968, and has continued to grow in size and musical sophistication under a succession of talented artistic directors. Today the adult Chorale numbers around 70 singers.

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